Nii'mer'aud flew across the land.
At one time, he might've done so for the simple joy of it. If so, he no longer had that memory. Lost to time or magicore, he didn't know. Or, he might've always been a fool and had never taken pleasure from such a simple thing.
One might think that he could find a little happiness in doing so now, but his mission weighed on his heart. To find even the slightest bit of pleasure in it was beyond him.
He had once been a great warrior, but now he was a hunter... and a fool. A leashed dog that tracked what he was told to track.
He was part of the wind, and it brought him news. Sounds, smells, disturbances - they made him adept at seeking things over a large area - as long as it was also night.
With his two aspects aligned, who could escape him?
Unfortunately for Siti`medaale, he had been used to catch escaped Djinni before, and would doubtlessly be forced to do it again in the future.
Siti`medaale - what a repugnant name. 'Slave of Medalle'.
The corners of Nii'mer'aud's mouth twitched up. Slave she might've been. Slave she would unfortunately be in the future... but not to Medalle. Riqre was dead. Killed with a tier six or seven spell.
That had not stopped the Emirs of Roshal from finding out the truth from the attack. Or, at least, the details leading up to it. Riqre might no longer be alive or able to answer questions, the same wasn't true of several of his [Slaves].
Riqre had been... evil. He left it at that. Even in death, some of his [Slaves] feared him, but they'd told the gathered Emirs about his experiments.
Even Roshal had some lines they would not cross. At least, not so brazenly. If Riqre were still around, he would suffer a fate worse than...
No. There was no point in Nii'mer'aud thinking about punishments that could never happen. He had his target to find.
His black wings flapped silently as he passed over another fleeing [Slave]. He didn't slow. He didn't tell anyone about it. Those weren't his orders.
His minor rebellion wouldn't matter. Others would find that [Slave]. It could be hunters from Roshal, or it could be people of the kingdom they were now in. It didn't matter.
...Except that it made hunting Siti all the worst. She was a newborn, but she possessed a keen mind. He hadn't seen it at first, but it was becoming clearer and clearer. It was almost like she knew every kingdom, every village, every road.
The other [Slaves] had accompanied her at first, but they had split off in small groups over their long journey. By Nii'mer'aud's count, there was only a single other [Slave] with her now. Neither of them had ever been in Deimos before, he was sure of it, but they always took the correct paths.
Could one of her aspects be knowledge? He hadn't seen any indication of that from her rampage in Lailight Scintillation. Even if her plan had been to feign ignorance... No that was silly. Could it be an aspect that took time to grow?
Learning? Something else?
That might explain how she'd been able to kill Riqre.
Not that it mattered much to Nii'mer'aud. He had to find her. Capture her if able, kill her if not. Avoid alerting other countries if possible.
His owner knew how to avoid loopholes.
If Siti hadn't avoided other villages and travelers so adeptly, then he could've at least broken the last order. He still might be able to cause an international incident if she release the same level of power she used to kill Riqre.
Of course, that would most likely kill Nii'mer'aud also, so it wasn't the perfect plan.
...
He found her at night by a campfire. It probably wasn't for Siti's benefit. Generally speaking, Djinni didn't need light, warmth, or sleep.
...But her companion did.
"It's a shame that I found you, child." Nii'mer'aud landed without another sound. His wings were as dark and silent as the night itself. "This one has been commanded to either capture you again, or kill you if able."
The black and white woman's eyes glowed like the stars.
She didn't reply.
"If you can teleport, then I would have to track you again." Nii'mer'aud nodded at the sleeping form. "I would have to prioritize you above anyone else."
His owner hadn't instructed him to not talk, nor to carry out his orders as quickly as possible. If he had, then Nii'mer'aud could have done all sorts of things in the name of speed.
Siti didn't run away, instead she languidly stood up and stretched.
"I will stay and convince you to return for as long as possible." If he could just talk until daybreak, she might stand a chance against him. Nii'mer'aud couldn't reveal secrets like that directly, but-
Siti pounced.
Nii'mer'aud swept his wings through her, and she vanished like a soap bubble bursting.
"And now the teams in Lailight Scintillation or the ruins of Riqre's compound will bind her again even more tightly." Nii'mer'aud shook his head. "Such a shame. Such a waste."
Something pierced his back.
The woman, Siti's companion, she'd somehow woken up and ambushed him! Her blow had actually hurt!
"If only you had a magical weapon." Nii'mer'aud reached behind him and plucked the dagger from his heart. "Alas, I have standing orders as to how to respond to an attack."
Nii'mer'aud tilted his head as he looked at her. Distended limbs, long claw-like fingernails, a mouth that was too big and too full of teeth.
Ah, she was one of Riqre's 'experiments'. At least he was going to put her out of her misery-
A tree flattened Nii'mer'aud.
Somehow, the utterly mundane object had disrupted his form!
...But only for a moment. The wind and the night embraced him, and he reformed inside of the collar that bound him.
"You did not reappear where they expected you to!" He smiled as he lunged at Siti again.
His wings stretched out... and encountered resistance. It wasn't anything solid. It was more like... the air around Siti was outside of his control... but only for a moment. He shattered the authority with ease and Siti's body washed away like sea foam on the beach.
"Stop it!" The monstrous woman shouted as she clawed at him.
Her frenzied attacks weren't backed up by either magic or skills and simply passed through him. Nii'mer'aud caught her arms. "I'm sorry, child, but this is the way things must be."
Pain exploded from his shoulder! Siti was on his back, and she was biting the nape of his neck with a force he'd never felt before!
With a twist of her neck, she tore a part from him. Nii'mer'aud backed away - his eyes wide. "How? What? How?" He'd lost a piece of himself. He knew the sensation well. Some part of his very essence had been torn away!
The striped woman swallowed. "It's fine." Siti's smile was wicked as she spoke for the first time that he was aware of. "You're not real anyways."
Nii'mer'aud fled. He had to when his existence was threatened unless his owner explicitly said not to. Even if that wasn't the case... he would've anyways.